Sarah in SC
Moderator Emeritus
I went to see this movie Sunday night.
It is a documentary based on the work of Fast Food Nation author Eric Schlosser and one of my favorites, The Omnivore's Dilemma, by Michael Pollan.
While I will always appreciate the depth offered in a book like Pollan's, the movie had a lot going for it. They had some very illuminating conversations and video from industrial chicken farming operations, CAFOs used to raise cattle, and a fairly large segment on patented seeds. They interviewed the CEO of Stonyfield Farms, Joel Saladin of Polyface Farms (one of the real heroes of the grass-fed movement) and did a very fair job of reporting on Wal-mart's foray into organics.
Other corporations got raked over the coals, and while it was by no means kind to capitalism, they pointed out industry-affiliated political appointees of both Republicans and Democratics.
I found it fascinating, but was of course struck by the idea that only well-to-do folks who already knew a lot of this stuff would be watching this movie. What I wish is that it could be shown in lower income high schools where fast food culture predominates. The segment where they interviewed a family that was struggling to feed their family was especially sobering. Basically the dollar menu at McD's is an easier choice than the grocery store where many fresh vegetables are all more than a dollar a pound.
I'd recommend it to anyone interested in our food supply. I think that what surprised me is to learn that even if I don't eat at fast food restaurants, I'm still eating from the same sources if I don't buy local, pastured meats and local vegetables.
The number of products made from corn and soybeans is startling. All in all, a good movie. You can watch the trailer here:
Official Food, Inc. Movie Site - Hungry For Change?
It is a documentary based on the work of Fast Food Nation author Eric Schlosser and one of my favorites, The Omnivore's Dilemma, by Michael Pollan.
While I will always appreciate the depth offered in a book like Pollan's, the movie had a lot going for it. They had some very illuminating conversations and video from industrial chicken farming operations, CAFOs used to raise cattle, and a fairly large segment on patented seeds. They interviewed the CEO of Stonyfield Farms, Joel Saladin of Polyface Farms (one of the real heroes of the grass-fed movement) and did a very fair job of reporting on Wal-mart's foray into organics.
Other corporations got raked over the coals, and while it was by no means kind to capitalism, they pointed out industry-affiliated political appointees of both Republicans and Democratics.
I found it fascinating, but was of course struck by the idea that only well-to-do folks who already knew a lot of this stuff would be watching this movie. What I wish is that it could be shown in lower income high schools where fast food culture predominates. The segment where they interviewed a family that was struggling to feed their family was especially sobering. Basically the dollar menu at McD's is an easier choice than the grocery store where many fresh vegetables are all more than a dollar a pound.
I'd recommend it to anyone interested in our food supply. I think that what surprised me is to learn that even if I don't eat at fast food restaurants, I'm still eating from the same sources if I don't buy local, pastured meats and local vegetables.
The number of products made from corn and soybeans is startling. All in all, a good movie. You can watch the trailer here:
Official Food, Inc. Movie Site - Hungry For Change?